God's blessing to the Obedient.
By J. F. B.
No good thing will the Lord withhold from them that walk uprightly. Ps. lxxxiv, 11. This is one of the precious promises left those who should be of a humble heart, and strive to do the will of God upon earth. And it is of the same character as all the promises given by inspiration to the children of God: it means just what it says, and no part of it will fail. There is much to be gained by those who live in a manner to claim this promise as theirs. “No good thing.” How expressive of blessings—indeed, what words could be more so? Let our circumstances be what they may, the promise is, that we shall want no good thing if we walk uprightly. Though we are afflicted, and sickness is racking our bodies; and perhaps we do not enjoy the comforts of life; we may be deprived of our friends, and not have the sympathy of any while distressed by pain; perhaps homeless, without any to care for us; yet the promise is sure even then, and no good thing is withheld from us; for we are being made heirs of the kingdom—being prepared for a home with the angels. And this is not all: the Lord has promised to be near to support in time of sickness; and though we are poor in this world, we are rich in faith, heirs of the kingdom; though our friends forsake us, Jesus has promised to be a Father to the fatherless—a friend that sticketh closer than a brother; though we can call no place home in this world, we can always find a place at the feet of Jesus, to ask and receive his smiles; this is better than an earthly home. But there is a condition to this promise: it is to those who walk uprightly. Jesus says “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” We here learn how to walk uprightly; it is to do the will of the Father which is in heaven; and we read in Rev. xxi, 27, that nothing can enter therein which worketh abomination, or defileth, or maketh a lie; so we conclude, that to do the will of the Father in heaven and to walk uprightly is to do nothing which worketh abomination or maketh a lie. The Bible everywhere testifies that it is a close work to walk in the counsel of God: the Word of God teaches us that to walk uprightly, strict obedience must be rendered to all that is written therein. The apostle James speaks thus: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all. Prov. xxiii, 9, says He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, (any portion of it, even his prayer shall be abomination. We have also the testimony of our Saviour upon this point: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. We see that all are agreed in keeping the whole law, and that disobedience to any part of it is a violation of it; consequently a sin in the sight of God. 1 John iii, 4. The law here spoken of, nearly all are willing to admit, is the law of ten commandments. And they profess to be living in obedience to all of them. But there is a class of people who believe, from the fulfillment of prophecy, and the signs which it is said should precede the second advent, that this promise is about to be realized: In like manner shall he come again: and they are now looking about them to see if they are walking in the counsel of God: they fear that most who profess to be Christians, offend in some point of the law. It is the fourth commandment which is not regarded as taught in the law. They say the first day of the week will answer the conditions of the fourth commandment; when the Bible plainly says the seventh day was sanctified and blessed of the Lord, and set apart to be kept holy as his Sabbath. Now let us see, if in reality we are offending God in this one point. Certainly should we displease God in this, we should be of the number who say, Lord, Lord, but do not the Father's will. And if we do not his will we cannot be said to be walking uprightly. Is it not giving God the lie to thus treat his holy Word? But God will have his will done, and will have a people who are not ashamed of him or his words. A people who know that the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of rams. They love obedience, too; for it pleaseth their Father. Those who would walk uprightly before the Lord, hearken to what his Word says, and do all there commanded. Do not think it strange that in these days God has a “peculiar people,” but try this work of what sort it is: see if those who teach the commandments of God do not teach the way to eternal life. The Lord will try every man's work of what sort it is. May our work be that which is pleasing to God, that we may be saved in the great day. Rochester, July 23d, 1854.